Did Palin violate Army security regulations?

You expect a mom to be proud of her children. She might even show off a pregnant unwed teenage daughter and the hockey jock who did the deed in front of the entire world. And you might rightly call attention to the fact that your oldest son has joined the military to become a warrior on behalf of his country.

What you shouldn't do is violate security procedures and put your son and his comrades at risk.

Palin has on at least two occasions, including in her speech last night, notified the entire world (including, presumably, the terrorists lurking therein) that her son, Track, will be deploying to Iraq on September 11.

It is too bad that his hockey mom mayor turned hockey mom governor doesn't know about OPSEC or Operational Security.

She also doesn't know the difference between deploying and preparing to deploy.

Jon Soltz at Daily Kos did some digging and found that "disclosing the date of deployment is against Operational Security (OPSEC) and illegal."

He also discovered that Track is not deploying on September 11. "He may be part of a deployment ceremony that day, before going to Kuwait, though one Public Affairs Officer said that any details of the upcoming ceremony hadn't been made public yet by the military."

Soltz also points out that Palin should have known enough to shut up. But she didn't. Yet she has the chutzpah to stand in front of the world and pretend she is qualified to be commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces!

You see, the Army doesn't want anyone to know where their soldiers are going. "It only serves to aid the enemy to kow where our troops are moving."

Commander-in-chief my ass!

Country First? Service? Horse hockey!

If there's one thing we have learned so far about the Republicans in convention - they don't give a damn about this country. They do want to win, though. It's all about power and they will stoop to the lowest level to maintain their grip on the White House!

Perhaps the best example is of this moral failing derives from two speeches. Rudy Giuliani, the thrice-married (at least), pro-choice, pro-gun control, ethically challenged "conservative" Republican, fed the convention a number of bones containing many of their favorite myths, but the worst was his disparagement of Obama's service as a community organizer.

AND THE REPUGNICANS BOOED OBAMA'S SERVICE!!!

Palin, showing she has the same ethical stance and is without shame, attempted to convince the world that her very brief and questionable resume qualifies her to be vice president. She referred to her job as mayor of Wasilla, a town best described as a series of strip malls and open pit gravel mines:

"And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities."

Even though she didn't explain just what those responsibilities might consist of, she joined Giuliani and the conventioneers in displaying an utter lack of class and their monumental hypocrisy by treating Obama's service to the community as being of no value.


Now, the fascinating part of all this is that the theme of this convention is "Country First," and combined with that, "Service." Signs proclaiming those themes dominate the convention floor and surrounding areas.

And yet, the Republican Party on one evening stands in front of the nation and the world and asks the American people to do service for their country, while the next evening sneers at the community service of another American simply because he has seen fit to choose another political expression.

The Republicans offer nothing but despair!

Palin - "Sarah Barracuda" and a pit bull (even without lipstick!)

[Photo - supporting the Bridge to Nowhere]

It's probably not all her fault. Palin's speech last night was written some time ago by males within the McCain camp. Not knowing what McCain was up to, they wrote it for a male. According to a McCain spokesman, when surprised by McCain's pick of Palin, the speech had to be revised to make it more "feminine."

Sarah "Barracuda" Palin, the "pit bull" from Wasilla, did her job. A few weeks ago, she didn't even know what a vice president does. It is likely she still doesn't know. But she can read a speech written by others, and she can look the world in the eye while curling her lip and lying through her teeth!

McCain did good choosing Palin, if you think "good" is a "hockey mom" from a teeny little town in the Alaska wilds with extremist Christian credentials, who believes that God put her in the governor's office, that the Republican Party should decide what women do with their own bodies, that creationism should be taught in our public schools, that abstinence education is the best way to teach our children about sex, that the right to shoot wolves for sport from airplanes should be protected by the government, that polar bears have no rights, that global warming is a myth, and that you need Jesus in your heart to be a good person.

Palin is your candidate if you think George W. Bush and Dickie Cheney have done a good job.


Palin's speech was a divisive, bitter attack on Obama, Biden, the media, and everyone who lives in a city rather than a small town. It contained almost nothing of substance. As Steven Rosenfeld says in an Alternet article: "Energy was the only domestic issue Palin discussed at length in her speech, which notably did not mention the economy, health care, the sub-prime mortgage crisis, immigration, family planning, appointing Supreme Court judges or the relation of church and state--she is an evangelical. She dismissed Democratic priorities such as global warming and civil liberties."

But she did stress we need to drill, drill, drill for oil!


And she lied! Attytood at the Philadelphia Daily News calls Palin's speech, "The Speech to Nowhere," for Palin baldly proclaimed "I told the Congress, 'Thanks but no thanks' on that Bridge to Nowhere. ... that was a lie, and the worst kind of lie in American politics, a blatant falsehood that showed utter contempt for the American people that Palin pledged to serve, assuming we are too stupid to look up or know the truth, that she pushed for those funds in Congress and while she got great political mileage out of announcing that she was killing the project, she still has not returned the funds to [the] American people."

The Anchorage Daily News says that "The Alaska governor campaigned in 2006 on a build-the-bridge platform, telling Ketchikan residents she felt their pain when politicians called them 'nowhere.' They're still feeling the pain today in Ketchikan, over Palin's subsequent decision to use the bridge funds for other projects..."

USA Today notes that "While running for governor in 2006 ... Palin backed federal funding for the infamous bridge, which McCain helped make a symbol of pork barrel excess."


Palin told other lies, also, such as the one about fighting against wasteful earmarks in Congress. As we have noted previously, she not only did NOT fight against wasteful earmarks, but actively sought them while mayor of the great metropolis of Wasilla. And in order to obtain these earmarks, she hired a lobbying firm connected to the disgraced Ted Stevens, which resulted in about $27 million tax dollars siphoned off to help Wasilla obtain a few pet projects!

Jim Kuhnhenn, a writer for the Associated Press, goes a bit further to decode Palin's lies. "In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation."

Palin lied about Obama when she said he has not "authored ... a single major law or reform -- not even in the state senate." Kuhnhenn reminds her and us that Obama "has worked with Republicans to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year. To demean that accomplishment would be to also demean the work of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a respected foreign policy voice in the Senate."

Futhermore, "In Illinois, he was the leader on two big, contentious measures ... studying racial profiling by police and requiring recordings of interrogations on potential death penalty cases. He also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation."

Palin said that "The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes, raise payroll taxes, raise investment income taxes, raise the death tax, raise business taxes, and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars." [It is doubtful that Palin even knows what most of that means - but it doesn't matter when you're simply reading crap written by nasty Republican operatives!]

Again, Kuhnhenn takes issues with Palin's "facts." "The Tax Policy Center, a think tank run jointly by the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, concluded that Obama's plan would increase after-tax income for middle-income taxpayers by about 5 percent by 2012, or nearly $2,200 annually. McCain's plan, which cuts taxes across all income levels, would raise after-tax income for middle-income taxpayers by 3 percent, the center concluded.

"Obama would provide $80 billion in tax breaks, mainly for poor workers and the elderly, including tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credits for larger families.

"He would also raise income taxes, capital gains and dividend taxes on the wealthiest. He would raise payroll taxes on taxpayers with incomes above $250,000, and he would raise corporate taxes. Small businesses that make over $250,000 a year would see taxes rise."


Again, from Attytood: "It was a Speech to Nowhere because Palin had the nerve to talk at length about John McCain's 'torturous interrogations' in the very same speech when she all but condoned the continuation of similar, abhorrent practices that have been directed for eight years by our own U.S. leaders, when she stated that Democrats are 'worried that someone won't read them [terrorism suspects] their rights.'"


And finally, Attytood sums it up perfectly: "I hope America wakes up tomorrow and realizes that Sarah Palin's words were rousing -- and completely empty, that they offered no road map (let alone bridge) for America other than more of the bogus partisan name-calling that has gotten us into the mess that we're in now."

Preacher payback! - Palin & Kalnins

[Photo of Ed Kalnins and wife]

I've argued before that one should not be judged by either the words or actions of one's pastor. Barack Obama has been skewered by the nogoodniks on the right and in the Republican party for his association with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

It's payback time.

The senior pastor of the Wasilla Assembly of God, "Palin's longtime spiritual home," has a history of expressing provocative political rants and weird religious and theological beliefs.

[Note: Palin left the Wasilla Assembly of God in 2002 for another congregation. That does not, however, necessarily mean that she severed all relationships with the Wasilla Assembly of God.]

Thanks to the Huffington Post for the following:

The pastor's name is Ed Kalnins. In the midst of the 2004 election mania, "he praised President Bush's performance during a debate with Sen. John Kerry, then offered a not-so-subtle message about his personal candidate preferences. 'I'm not going to tell you who to vote for, but if you vote for this particular person, I question your salvation. I'm sorry. If every Christian will vote righteously, it would be a landslide every time."

A few months later, Kalnins became angry by the criticism leveled at Bush for his handling of the Katrina disaster. "'I hate criticisms towards the President,'" he said, 'because it's like criticisms towards the pastor -- it's almost like, it's not going to get you anywhere, you know, except for hell. That's what it'll get you.'"

Kalnins believes that the Christian faith is engaged in a world war of which the 9/11 attacks and the invasion of Iraq are a part. This war against the Christians is one in which Jesus Christ wants his followers to be involved, and if necessary, sacrifice their lives.

"'We are in a time and a season of war, and we need to think like that. We need to develop that instinct. We need to develop as believers the instinct that we are at war, and that war is contending for your faith. ... Jesus called us to die. You're worried about getting hurt? He's called us to die. Listen, you know we can't even follow him unless you are willing to give up your life...'"

One is led rather quickly to ask the question as to why Kalnins didn't head off to Iraq to serve in this Christian military action?


God is deeply involved in politics, too, according to Kalnins. "Kalnins has asserted that Palin's election as governor was the result of a 'prophetic call' by another pastor at the church who prayed for her victory. '[He made] a prophetic declaration and then unfolds the kingdom of God, you know.'"

Palin has expressed amazement and gratitude for this call. "'He was praying over me,' she said in June. 'He's praying, "Lord, make a way, Lord make a way..." and I'm thinking, this guy's really bold, he doesn't even know what I'm gonna do, he doesn't know what my plans are, and he's praying not, "Oh Lord, if it be your will may she become governor," or whatever. No, he just prayed for it. He said, "Lord, make a way, and let her do this next step." And that's exactly what happened. So, again, very very powerful coming from this church.'"


Kalnins also is a believes the "end times" are soon upon us. "During his appearance with Palin in June, he declared, 'I believe Alaska is one of the refuge states in the last days, and hundreds of thousands of people are going to come to the state to seek refuge and the church has to be ready to minister to them.'"


It gets weirder. Kalnins "claims to have received direct 'words of knowledge' from God, providing him information about past events in other people's lives."


Sarah Palin, however, is one of his own. "'Gov. Sarah Palin is the real deal,' he told his church this past summer. 'You know, some people put on a show...but she's the real deal.'"


It would appear that Kalnins has broken the law several times by becoming directly involved in politics and by endorsing a candidate. That doesn't matter to many of the right-wing crazies as they think they are living in obedience to God which supersedes any man-made laws.

It also appears that Palin endorses his views and agrees with the notion that she won the race for the governorship with the help of the hand of God.

There's the difference with Obama. Obama repudiated the Rev. Wright's most inflammatory views and statements. Palin, in at least one area, agrees with the Rev. Kalnins - God put her in the governor's office.

If that doesn't scare the hell out of you, nothing will! All we need is another goofball in the White House talking to God. Who knows what country God will tell her we must attack next?

Biden, a breath of fresh air (and promise!)

This from ABC News' Matthew Jaffe.

Joe Biden, out campaigning in West Palm Beach, Florida, said several things of interest:

First of all he stressed that "'In an Obama-Biden administration, we will not have an attorney general who blatantly breaks the law. We will not have a president who doesn't understand the Constitution. And I will not be a vice-president who thinks he's not part of any of the three branches of government.'"

"Looking to the future but with one eye on the past, Biden also promised that an Obama-Biden government would go through Bush administration data with 'a fine-toothed comb' and pursue criminal charges in necessary."

"'If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation, they will be pursued, not out of vengeance, not out of retribution - out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no one, no attorney general, no president, no one is above the law."


Finally, words of hope; words of challenge; words we've waited for seven and one half very long, desultory years to hear! Finally the lawlessness and corruption instituted by the Bush administration will come to an end! And may the guilty receive their just desserts.

Obama gets it!

What did you hear at the Republican National Convention last night?

For awhile, I thought I had tuned into the Christian Republican Party. Rachael Lampa, a Christian singer/songwriter, was whining through a schmaltzy tune, grimacing at all the right times, and people were praying "In Jesus name," and everyone waved their little American flags. God must be so proud!

Then we heard all about how John McCain was a POW in Vietnam--a truly boring narration by Fred Thompson, the movie actor, who rambled on and on in detail as to how John suffered and yet remained steadfast to the end.

In fact, the evening's theme was "John McCain was a POW and therefore, John McCain should be president."


Barack Obama was campaigning in Ohio. He hit the nail on the head again. The Los Angeles Times says that while Obama was speaking to a small group of supporters "at a college campus in New Philadelphia, Ohio" he suggested that McCain and the Republicans just don't get it!

"You did not hear a single word about the economy," said Senator Obama. "Not once did people mention the hardships that folks are going through. Not once did they mention what are we going to do about keeping jobs here in Ohio. Not once did they mention what are we going to do about all these retirees that are losing their pensions. Not once did they mention how are we going to make sure Social Security is there for the next generation.

"The other party and John McCain don't get it."


That's a bit disengenuous, me thinks, although right on target. How are those poor Republicans going to talk about the dismal economy when they are the ones responsible for it? The loss of jobs and thus pensions is the result of their economic policies over the past almost eight years.

The fact of the matter is that they have nothing so say to the American people except that John McCain was a POW and "let us pray."

Lieberman, the turncoat, blasts Republicans at the RNC

In his speech last evening, Joe Lieberman, the former Democrat turned turncoat, now an Independent, blasted the Republicans and no one noticed.

Except for Eric Alterman. Alterman pulled a couple of excerpts from Lieberman's speech:

"If John McCain was just another go-along partisan politician, he never would have taken on corrupt Republican lobbyists, or big corporations that were cheating the American people, or powerful colleagues in Congress who were wasting taxpayer money.

"But he did!

"If John McCain was just another go-along partisan politician, he never would have led the fight to fix our broken immigration system or to do something about it global warming.

"But he did!"


As Alterman asks, "...didn't Lieberman address the Republican convention -- shortly after the sitting Republican president -- and call the Republican Party a bunch of corrupt, cheating, tax-wasting do-nothings?"

Yes, he did!

Was anyone listening? Did the Repugs know they were being dissed? Did they even care?

Alterman suggests that the media might want to ask Lieberman to "expand those critiques, and why, if he believes them, he is still supporting the Republican presidential ticket in November."

McCain, Palin and earmarks

Sarah Palin is a big fan of earmarks - that special spending system "through which powerful members of Congress can deliver federal cash for pet projects back home with little or no public scrutiny."

McCain has fought against those earmarks - on occasion.

The Los Angeles Times reports that "Three times in recent years, McCain's catalogs of 'objectionable' spending have included earmarks for this small Alaska town [Wasilla], requested by its mayor at the time -- Sarah Palin."

Palin, it seems, likes federal money deposited in Alaskan political pockets. She has been "far from shy about pursuing tens of millions in earmarks for her town, her region and her state."

In fact, in 2008, Palin wrote in a newspaper column that "The federal budget, in its various manifestations, is incredibly important to us, and congressional earmarks are one aspect of this relationship."

Earmarks for Wasilla that escaped "normal budget scrutiny" included $500,000 for a public transportation project in 2001, $1 million for an emergency communications center in 2002, as well as "$450,000 set aside for an agricultural processing facility ... that was requested during Palin's tenure as mayor and cleared Congress after she left office in 2002."

The Los Angeles Times notes that "Wasilla received $11.9 million in earmarks from 2002 to 2003."


When Palin first moved into the mayor's job, Wasilla had received minimal federal monies. The then she hired a lobbyist with ties to Ted Stevens "who long controlled federal spending as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He made funneling money to Alaska his hallmark."

Hypocrisy is the hallmark of most Repugnican politicians and Palin is no different. When McCain introduced her as his running mate, she lampooned earmarks. In her speech, she lied about her support for the infamous "bridge to nowhere."

Not only so, but "This year she submitted to Congress a list of Alaska projects worth $197.8 million, including $2 million to research crab productivity in the Bering Sea and $7.4 million to improve runway lighting at eight Alaska airports."


It's getting more and more difficult to believe anything Ms. Palin says!

Sarah Palin - God is on her side

Juliet Ellperin, writing at the WaPo, describes a "free-form commencement address she [Palin] gave in June to a class of commission students at the Wasilla Assembly of God. ... Palin exhorted congregants to pray so she could realize her public policy goals."

The Huffington Post has a video of the speech here.

And here's part of what she said:

"'I can do my part in doing things like working really, really hard to get a natural gas pipeline, a $30 billion dollar project that's going to create a lot of jobs for people in Alaska, and we're going to have a lot of energy flowing through here -- and pray about that also -- I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get that gas line built, so pray for that,' she told them, 'but I can do my job there, in developing our natural resources and doing things like getting the roads paved, and making sure our troopers have their cop cars and their uniforms, their guns, and making sure out public schools are funded. But really, all that stuff doesn't do any good if the people of Alaska's heart isn't right with God.'

"Switching to the war in Iraq, Palin told the group of students that they should not only pray for men and women in the military but to make sure the leaders of this country are sending U.S. soldiers 'out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan.'"

She ended up like this: "I love you guys, and thank you so much for dedicating your lives to Jesus Christ."


Isn't it nice to think that we might have another freak in the White House who thinks that what's really important is to have your heart right with God? Isn't it nice that this person believes her plans are God's plans? Isn't it nice that she wants a war plan from God?

Is she the governor of Alaska or the Christian pastor of Alaska?

McCain cancels on Larry King

What's with these people? They keep making commitments and then canceling.

John McCain was scheduled to appear on Larry King's show last night, but canceled. The reason? Old John was pissed at the way Campbell Brown (also of CNN) treated his lap dog, Tucker Bounds, on Monday night.

You remember. Ms. Brown referred to McCain's concern about national security and Tucker pointed to Sarah Palin's "experience" as commander-in-chief of the Alaska National Guard.

Now, it should be noted that the Alaska National Guard has nothing to do with national defense activities other than go to war when called up by the President!

Nevertheless, Bounds had no answer and simply blurted out various Republican talking points. But Brown persisted - to no avail. Finally, she thanked Tucker for his efforts and cut off the interview.

Please note that Ms. Brown was polite and courteous throughout. She was also determined.

Evidently, so far as John McCain goes, real questions about real issues are off limits. He'll talk about his POW experience (even though he really doesn't like to) and how that gave him the experience to qualify for president, but don't ask him or his minions to be specific about the claims they make!

And, if you do, well, McCain will take his marbles and go home. Take that! Larry King!!!

More on Palin's "experience" or, "The Car Wash Saga"

The pundits leaning on the right side of the fence just can't understand why so many of us just don't get the fact that Palin is drenched in "experience." Mayor of a little bitty town in the wilds of Alaska, and 20 months as governor - well, hell - that's a lot of experience.

George Will wrote that "John McCain's opponent is by far the least experienced person to receive a presidential nomination ... "

Of course, he offers not a scintilla of evidence to back up that statement. He suggests it might have something to do with age - maybe age brings "experience." And we admit that McCain has lived longer than any of the other candidates currently running for Prez and V Prez.

But there's "experience" and there's "experience." No one has bothered to take note of that fact so far as I can tell. It might be claimed that George W. Bush had lots of executive "experience," and there would be some truth in that.

But it wasn't "good" experience. George W. Bush failed at every single thing he tried to do before he was elevated to political office! Furthermore, when governor of Texas, he saw fit to screw that state up almost as badly as he's screwed up the United States! To paraphrase one pundit who wrote recently - George W. Bush is the worst executive we've ever had in the Oval Office.

Some "experience" we can toss as it is bad "experience" and the one experiencing it didn't learn a damn thing.

It's sad to see these Republicans running about as if casting a net for butterflies trying to somehow portray Palin as "experienced." When the smoke clears, the fact remains- she has little or no experience, and what she's had has not been a learning experience.


Here's just one example: the Washington Post has revealed that Ms. Palin and hubby, Todd, owned part of a business that was shut down by the state of Alaska because it failed to follow state law.

"State records show the business ran into trouble with Alaska's division of corporations business and professional licensing after Palin became governor of the state in 2006.

"A Feb. 11, 2007 letter to the governor's business partner advises that the car wash had 'not filed its biennial report and/or paid its biennial fees,' which were more than a year overdue.

"The warning letter was written on state letterhead, which carried Palin's name at the top, next to the state seal.

"On April 3, 2007, the state went further and issued a 'certificate of involuntary dissolution' because of the car wash's failure to file its report and pay state licensing fees."


But there's more. And this speaks to her integrity. "A review of Palin's gubernatorial disclosure filings indicates that she failed to report her stake in the company on the form that requires candidates for governor to disclose any interest in a nonpublicly traded company."

And more. "Palin's gubernatorial disclosure filings also reveal her involvement in another failed startup -- a marketing business which was to go by the name Rouge Cou, which evidently is a literal French translation of 'red neck.' On the 2005 form, Palin describes the firm as one for which she secured a license but did not conduct any business."


What might we conclude from all this? It certain raises questions about her integrity. It also indicates she's had some "executive experience" running a car wash, but failed. There are people who might blame the "partner" or her husband, but that does not absolve her in the least as executives are always responsible for what their cohorts are doing or not doing.

Did McCain know about this or did his "vetters" miss this, too?

Palin a no-show at Republican pro-life bash

[New York Times photo]


The Republican National Coalition for Life is a right-wing, anti-abortion group that claims old Eagle Forum poohbah, Phyllis Schlaffy as leader.

The RNCL held a bash last night in honor of Palin. "The purpose of the event is to honor Palin for being a political figure who 'not only talks-the-talk, but walks-the-walk' when it comes to putting life first."

It was to have been a glorious, patriotic time, with flags waving and a bar. These Republicans know how to party! Everyone was so excited that the Republican Party Platform now includes the notion that a fetus is a person and should be accorded all the rights as a real, live human being.

About 800 people, paying $95 per, were to attend.

But Palin cancelled. At the last minute!

Schlaffy was pissed. Those pro-life folks who forked out $95 bucks to hear Palin are not going to be happy, she said.

Schlaffy is blaming McCain. "I am certainly going to say that it was McCain that canceled."

The question is why did Palin (or McCain) cancel? Has Palin been getting too much press, leaving poor old John in the dust? Were they afraid that Palin would say something really dumb? Did they think any pro-life remarks by Palin would further alienate the millions of pro-choice women whom they hope to attract?

Only the gods know.

(They did have a protester, though - see photo - who seemed to get what it means to be "pro-life" better than the yahoos who were in attendance).

Christian right is praying for Bristol and Levi

James Dobson, self-righteous theocratic founder of Focus on the Family, says that he'll be praying for the Palin family and he's proud that Bristol has decided to keep her baby, even though she got pregnant out of wedlock.

Gary Bauer, president of the right-wing Christian America Values organization, says he wants to support and encourage Gov. Sarah Palin and her family. "Bristol Palin and her family understand that a new life has been created. The commitment to bring that life into the world is a testament to their pro-life philosophy. I commend them for the example they are setting for other women in crisis pregnancies."

Tony Perkins, president of another right-wing Christian group called the Family Research Council, made this statement: "Unfortunately, teenage pregnancy has become all too common in today's society regardless of a family's economic or social status. It is a problem that we remain committed to reducing through encouraging young people to practice abstinence.

"Fortunately, Bristol is following her mother and father's example of choosing life in the midst of a difficult situation. We are committed to praying for Bristol and her husband-to-be and the entire Palin family as they walk through a very private matter in the eyes of the public."


Question: What would be the response of these anointed representatives of the Almighty if the pregnant person out-of-wedlock were the daughter of one of the Democratic candidates? Do you think that they would offer such kind words of solace and comfort and offer to send up prayers to their god in heaven on that pregnant person's behalf?

Or, do you think they would immediately climb on their self-righteous horse and proclaim to the world that this is exactly what can be expected from liberals and pro-choice people and people who want sex education in the public schools?

Those are rhetorical questions. You know damn well what the answers are!

Palin's the one with executive experience?

It's just gets funnier and funnier watching the Republican poohbahs tripping over their tongues to try to justify Sarah Palin as vice presidential nominee.

Carly Fiorina, former head of HP, who was fired for making a total mess of that company, is working for the McCain campaign. At the RNC Convention, when interviewed by Andrea Mitchell, Fiorina gave an impassioned speech about all of Palin's "executive experience." I mean, my god, she was mayor of a little town and has been a governor for all of 20 months!

Obama's a neophyte next to her, suggested Ms. Fiorina.

But nothing beats the statement made by Bill McAllister, a McCain spokesman. He said that Palin is older than Jack Kennedy was when he ran for president even though the question of her age was and is not an issue.

The issue is the fact that she has almost no experience of any consequence. Responding to that, McAllister said that "of the four people on two national tickets, she is the only one with executive experience.


Two things: One is obvious - McAllister is claiming that not even the Republican presidential candidate, John McCain, has as much "experience" as does Sarah Palin. The second is simply that such a statement is moronic. Running a campaign involves a tremendous amount of executive capability. Running a senate office involves a tremendous amount of executive capability. Organizing community organizations demands executive experience.

The Republicans are stuck. All they can do is try to gloss over the fact that this woman is simply not qualified to be on any national ticket.

Or throw her to the wolves. (Alaskan wolves, of course!)

Levi Johnston on way to RNC

So much for not wanting to focus on one's pregnant daughter.

Americablog reports that "Levi Johnston, the boyfriend, the boyfriend of the pregnant 17-year old Bristol Palin, plans to join the family at the Republican Party's nomination ... of mom and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for vice president..."

The McCain campaign, as you'll recall, wanted everyone to leave the children alone..."Now they're going to put them on stage before millions of Americans."

By the by, here's a quote from Levi:

"I'm a f---in' redneck...but I live to play hockey. I like to go camping and hang out with the boys, do some fishing, shoot some s--- and just f---in' chillin' I guess. Ya f--- with me I'll kick [your] ass."

He's also quoted as "being in a relationship" but doesn't want any kids.

Does John McCain have a clue as to what the hell he is doing?

Palin's message to the Alaskan Independence Party

Here's the video. Thanks to Andrew Sullivan for the heads up.

Does Palin put Alaska first?

The theme of the Republican Convention is "Country First," which is very strange when one considers the record of the Republican Party over the past eight years. A more fitting theme would be "The Republican Party First."

Now it turns out that vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin may have her own slogan, "Alaska First."

Since the 1970s, the Alaskan Independence Party has attempted to arrange a legal vote for residents of Alaska to decide whether they want Alaska to remain part of the United States or to secede and form their own country.

The motto of the AIP is "Alaska First - Alaska Always."

Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd, were members of the AIP in the 1990s! The chairman of the AIP, Lynette Clark, told ABC News that the Palins were members of the AIP in 1994 and attended the statewide convention of the AIP held in Wasilla.

"We are a state's rights party," said Clark. The API has "a plank that challenges the legality of the Alaskan statehood vote as illegal and in violation of United Nations charter and international law."

Palin is a member of the Republican Party today, but has not severed her ties with the AIP. Earlier this year she recorded a welcoming address to the AIP convention.


But there's more. Frederick Clarkson, writing at talk2action, reports "that the AIP is the Alaska affiliate of the Constitution Party, founded by Howard Phillips, and has been the political home to leading theocratic Christian Reconstructionism such as John Lofton, Otto Scotdt, Joe Morecraft and movement founder R. J. Rushdoony himself."

Christian Reconstructionism refers to the loony ultra-fundamentalists who are working to teach their brand of American history in our public schools and want to take over our government to institute a theocratic state, based not on the Constitution, but on their interpretation of the Old Testament. Think of Christian Reconstructionists as the American Taliban, for about the only difference is the book they use to force their views on everyone else. Those who resist will be dealt with severely -- using Old Testament methods. Stoning, anyone?


Joe Vogler, the founder of the AIP, said: "I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions."

Thomas Schaller asks this pertinent question at salon.com, "... what would have happened to that unpatriotic, American-hating Muslim the Democrats nominated for president if he had been part of a secessionist group led by a man who once said he was 'an Illinoisan, not an American'? To borrow Clarence Thomas' famous phrase, it would have been a high-tech lynching."


Another pertinent or impertinent question, depending on your affiliation: What the hell was McCain thinking?


Much more on the AIP here and here.

McCain hires Eskew and sells his soul again!

I've said from the beginning that John McCain would sell his soul, hell, maybe even his mother, to become president!

That became evident when he began running around the country kissing the asses of those whom he once called "agents of intolerance," but had, because of their political clout, become "angels of deliverance." No doubt McCain thought they could help deliver to him the White House.

You may recall, how back in 2000, when McCain was running against George W. Bush for the Republican nomination, the Bush campaign tore him apart in South Carolina with some of the nastiest and dirtiest tactics seen in American political history.


One of the architects of that nastiness was Tucker Askew, a protege of Karl Rove (which tells you how low he will stoop!). [How many of these Republican wastrels are named "Tucker"?] Askew, working with two other nogoodniks, Warren Tompkins and Neal Rhodes, so effectively smeared McCain that he never rose from the mud. You may remember also that one of the accusations these rotters leveled against McCain was that he fathered an illegitimate black child. Now, in South Carolina, having an illegitimate black child is the kiss of death if you want a political office!

McCain was so angry about all this he and Lindsey Graham held a press conference to denounce Askew and his tactics. McCain has claimed that he thinks "there is a special place in hell" for Tucker Askew and friends.


The more we've come to know McCain and the burning desire he has to sit in the Oval Office, the less we are surprised by the depths to which he will sink to achieve that goal.

Yes, he has hired Tucker Askew to work with him on this campaign.

When McCain campaign officials were asked if they would comment on this turn of events, they said, "No."

Tucker Eskew's blog here.

Tucker Bounds has nothing to say to Campbell Brown

It was wonderful. Last night, CNN's Campbell Brown ripped Tucker Bounds, McCain's mouthpiece, up one side and down the other. All he could do is look embarrassed, flick his eyes and sputter.

Brown talked about how McCain's is always blathering as to the importance of national security and she asked Tucker about that: How does Sarah Palin fit into McCain's national security concern? What about Palin's foreign policy experience?

Bounds had nothing to say except that she was wonderful and the right choice, blah, blah, blah. But Ms. Brown wouldn't let go! "You're not answering my question...you set a different standard..."

Bounds, with nowhere to go, settled on her experience as commander in chief of the Alaskan National Guard.

So Brown said, "...tell me one decision that she made in her capacity as commander in chief of the Alaskan National Guard."

Bounds mumbled about how she decides how to equip and how to command and deploy the national guard.

Brown just about laughed in his face. No governor makes those kinds of decisions!

Brown kept pushing. Just one decision. Tell me ONE decision!

But Bounds couldn't. And finally, when there was nothing more to say, when Bounds could not name even so much as one little, bitty decision that Palin made as commander in chief of the Alaskan National Guard, Brown cut him off...which, in reality, was an act of kindness.

So much for Palin's foreign policy experience!

McCain's take on Palin

John McCain met Sarah Palin one time and talked to her once on the phone before deciding to select her as his vice presidential running mate. Now we are learning that his staff either did not properly vet her before that decision was made or didn't vet her at all. A number of people living in Alaska -- Wasilla and elsewhere -- with connections to Palin, said they were never contacted by anyone.

Maybe that's why McCain recently sent another team of operatives to the north country to find out what else they may have missed the first time around.

What follows is from Crooks and Liars. It's part of an interview between Chris Wallace of Faux News and McCain:

Wallace: "Let's start with your choice of running mate. Of all the people you could have chosen, all the Republican leaders you've known for years. Straight talk, can you honestly say that Sarah Palin is the best person to put a heartbeat away from the presidency?"

McCain: "Oh, yeah. She's a...she's a partner and a soulmate. [laughs] She's...she's a reformer. I don't particularly enjoy the label 'maverick,' but when somebody takes on the old bulls in her own party, runs against an incumbent governor of her own party, stands up against the oil and gas interests...I mean, they really are so vital to the economy of her...of the state of Alaska. I mean, it's remarkable. It's a remarkable person and I've watched her record and I've watched her for many, many years as she implemented ethics and lobbying reforms. I mean, she led on it; she didn't just vote for it. She led it, I've seen her...take on her own party. Look, one thing I know is when you take on your own party in Washington, you pay a price for it. You do. You pay a price for it."


Let's look at McCain's statement. A "partner and soulmate"? He's met her once and talked to her once on the phone and suddenly she's a "partner and soulmate"? A "soulmate" is the one closest to you, the one you live for, the one who is always at your side, the one you rely on for your very life. Does he expect anyone to swallow that kind of crap?

He doesn't like the term "maverick"? Please! He's made that term the centerpiece of his candidacy, even though it is not true! "Sidekick," as the governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer, called him, is a much more accurate label!

And this stuff about taking on the bulls of her party: Hell, she ran against a governor who was so hated in Alaska that Bullwinkle could have beat him!

She hasn't stood up against the oil and gas interests, she supports almost everything they want to do in Alaska!

He's watched her for "many, many years?" My god, she's only 44 years old! She's only been involved in state politics for 20 months. Does he mean he was spending his time "watching" the mayor of a little, dinky town called Wasilla in Alaska for many, many years? Does two mayoral terms count as "many, many years?"

Please!

Ethics and lobbying reforms? Which ones, John. Do you mean the ethics scandal in which she is now embroiled and for which she has just hired an attorney to make sure she doesn't get deposed and end up in an Alaskan clink?

Good god, what a mess.

Palin and the Pledge

One would hope that a candidate running for vice president on either ticket would have some knowledge of American history and American symbols.

Palin must have spent too much time cheerleading and praying with her Fellowship of Christian Athletes when in high school. I'm not sure what she did in college, but she neglected those boring history classes, for sure.

Daily Kos tells us that in a Eagle Forum 2006 policy questionnaire, Palin reveals the paucity of her knowledge.

The question was: "Are you offended by the phrase 'UnderGod' in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why of why not?"

Palin's answer: "Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, it's good enough for me and I'll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance."

Okay...stop laughing.

So, she doesn't know that the Pledge wasn't written until 1892. So she doesn't know that the Pledge was not made the official Pledge of the United States until 1942. So she doesn't know that the phrase, "Under God," was not added to the Pledge until 1954 as a right-wing attempt to use God to fend off the godless commies.

This is the candidate that McCain thinks knows enough to step into the shoes of the President of the United States on Day 1!

Again, it's not so much about Palin. She's pretty much a cipher with extremist Christian credentials. But all of this certainly says that McCain's simply incapable of making the right decisions when it comes to ensuring the well-being and safety of the people of the United States!

Palin and Ted Stevens

Ted Stevens is that elderly Alaska senator currently under indictment for various unethical practices. Some folks believe that Mr. Stevens is the epitome of corruption and a symbol of how Republicans act in Alaska.

Sarah Palin, McCain's erstwhile pick for vice president, is said to be a "reformer," and hangs her hat on that nomenclature.

Maybe "reformer" is not the word she was looking for.

When Stevens was indicted by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., he "revealed the existence of the 527 group - a type of independent political corporation named for [a] ... section of the tax code..."

The Washington Post, in an article dated 9/1/08, says that "The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reported that several experts called the group an example of the fine legal line between a legal effort to conduct political activity and then-new prohibitions against raising unlimited soft-money.

"Board members of Ted Stevens Excellence in Public Service were legally allowed to raise as much money as they wanted from corporations or unions or unlimited donations from individuals -- all of which would have been illegal for Stevens to do himself."

Sarah Palin's name was "listed on 2003 incorporation papers of ... 'Excellence in Public Service, Inc.' ... She served as one of three directors until June 2005, when her name was replaced on state filings."

Before Stevens was indicted, Palin told Stevens to "be open about the issues behind the investigation. But she also held a joint news conference with him in July [2008], before he was indicted, to make clear she had not abandoned him politically."

That makes sense as Stevens had been helpful to Palin in her run for governor. He endorsed her and filmed a campaign commercial with her in 2006.

It is most interesting that "Shortly after Palin was announced as McCain's vice presidential pick, the ad was removed from her gubernatorial web site."

I wonder what "reform" really means to Palin.

McCain lies - about Palin and Obama

John McCain is truth-challenged.

On the last day of August, John McCain told Brian Williams on NBC's Nightly News that Sarah Palin, the 20-month governor of Alaska "was in elected office when Senator [Barack] Obama was still a, quote, 'community organizer.'"

McCain made the same statement on the same day to Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday: "when she [Palin] was in government, he [Obama] was a community organizer."

That statement is false and McCain knows it is false!

From Media Matters: "In fact, when Obama was a community organizer, from 1985-1988, Palin was an undergraduate at the University of Idao (until 1987) and then -- according to National Journal's Almanac of American Politics -- was a television sports reporter. Palin joined the Wasilla city council -- her first elected office -- in 1992, the year Obama served as director of Chicago's Project Vote! -- the local chapter of a national voter registration organization -- and began teaching at the University of Chicago Law School."

Why can't John tell the truth?

Go to Media Matters here.

Lieberman praises Barack Obama

Joseph Lieberman is a weasel. He's supposed to speak to the RNC today. What will the weasel say about Senator Obama?

John Amato at Crooks and Liars has a video of a speech Mr. Lieberman made in 2006. Amato says "This is more evidence that Joe has attached himself to McCain out of fear of being 'left behind' in the Senate and not because he believes McCain is the right choice for president."

"Left behind" probably has to do with being stripped of his committee responsibilities by the Democrats, who after November 4, will no longer need his vote.

Here's what Lieberman said in 2006:

"As far as I'm concerned [Barack Obama] is a 'Baruch,' which means a blessing. He is a blessing to the United States Senate, to America, and to our shared hopes for better, safer tomorrows for all our families. The gifts that God has given to Barack Obama are as enormous as his future is unlimited. As his mentor, as his colleague, as his friend, I look forward to helping him reach to the stars and realize not just the dreams he has for himself, but the dreams we all have for him and our blessed country."

Obama has been given gifts from God! Now, how could Lieberman, or anyone, oppose Obama and vote for McCain, who has no visible or tangible gifts, other than the gift for telling lies and flip-flopping.

I think I'll vote with God this time, and punch my ballot for Obama.

Go to Crooks and Liars here.

Biden banned by Roman Catholic poohbahs

[Photo of Bishop Michael Saltarelli]

Senator Joseph Biden is a life-long Roman Catholic. He belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware.

You would think that the Wilmington diocese would be immensely proud of the fact that one of its "sons" was not only a United States senator but now the Democratic nominee for vice president of the United States.

Ah, sadly, that is not the case.

You see, Senator Biden is pro-choice when it comes to abortion. Understand, please, that does not mean he supports abortion or thinks that abortion is a good thing. It simply means that he is convinced that the woman actually carrying a fetus, not the government, nor a hide-bound religious institution run by celibate old men in dresses, should make decisions related to the potential life growing inside her.

Sound reasonable? Not if you're a Roman Catholic poohbah or one of the rabid, extremist Protestant fundamentalists. These clowns think they have the right to dictate what a woman should do with her body. And they base that on two things: 1) They know the mind of god, and 2) god has told them that semen deposited in the vagina is sacred. That's why not only is abortion bad, but so is contraception. It's not just that they believe god believes that life begins at conception, but that god believes the semen is potential life and therefore must not be interrupted on its way to create another little god-like creature. [I've never heard how they explain nocturnal emissions.]


Not only is the Roman Catholic diocese of Wilmington not proud of its senator and vice presidential candidate, but is refusing to allow Senator Biden to speak at Roman Catholic functions or in Roman Catholic schools!

The bishop of the diocese, Michael Saltarelli, wrote in a 2004 statement on "Catholics in Public Life," that "Our Catholic institutions will not honor Catholic politicians who take pro-abortion legislative positions or invite them to speak at our functions or schools."

A spokesman for the diocese confirmed that even if Biden becomes the Vice President, he will not be welcome at Wilmington's Catholic schools!

While Saltarelli does not come right out and say that Biden would be denied communion in Wilmington's parishes, it is clear that he wishes Biden would not present himself at the altar. The Archbishop of the Denver diocese, however, had no such compunctions. When Biden took communion at his home parish of St. Joseph on the Brandywine, Archbishop Charles Chaput told the Associated Press he should not do that because he was an abortion supporter.


Liberalslikechrist.org notes that "Many of the critics of the Roman Catholic Church fault it for being too strict. But the real problem is that ... the Catholic Church tends to be very strict where its perception of the wrongdoing of others is concerned, while being very lenient when it comes to its own wrongdoing.

"Millions of American Catholics are still reeling from the discovery that, over the years they have had a 4% chance of being assigned a priest who might use their church's sacristy or rectory to sexually molest their children and pretty close to a 100% chance that when their celibate, childless bishop found out about such crimes, that he would do everything in his power to defend the reputation of the 'One, Holy, Catholic Church', rather than the dignity of their innocent children."

The Roman Catholic diocese of Wilmington, Delaware is no exception to this scandal or to priestly sexual abuses. Numerous cases have surfaced over the past several years and the diocese has had to pay out hundreds of thousands of dollars in "reparations." The diocese even has a website for persons who have been molested by clergy serving in the Wilmington diocese.


Now, I don't give a rat's ass what the Roman church believes about anything. But down through history, the Roman church has resorted to almost any tactic to impose its beliefs on the general population. When the Roman church has a majority, it can and does effectively enforce its beliefs on a nation. The Roman church is not a democracy and does not understand how a democracy works. It is a theocracy, and in a theocracy, dissent is not allowed. A theocracy, by definition, defines the word of god and demands obedience to that word.

Thus, the Roman church lives in certain and constant tension amidst the diversity that is the United States.

But, from John F. Kennedy to Joe Biden, it has failed spectacularly to rein in those politicians who cling to its ragging, fading robes out of duty, a sense of family or in hope the moribund institution will change someday.

It has failed spectacularly because it is a spectacular failure. Child molestation has become the signature of the Roman church. Thousands of clergy have been involved. Hundreds of bishops have been complicit in covering up their crimes. Tens of millions of the faithful's dollars have been paid out in reparations to those abused.

And still...this tattered and battered hypocritical and dysfunctional institution dares call Joe Biden a sinner because he believes a woman has the right to choose when it comes to dealing with her own body!


Read more about clergy abuse in Wilmington here.

Palin's faux pregnancy

[Photo of Palin about seven months pregnant]


While I have some discomfort about what follows, I believe it is important enough to at least air it out. If there are any real investigative reporters left in the MSM, they should be able to sort out the truth (if allowed to do so by their corporate bosses).

The story is from Daily Kos.

The gist of the story is that Trig Paxson Van Palin is not Sarah Palin's son, but her grandson.

When Sarah Palin announced on March 6 that she was seven months pregnant, people were astonished. "Even close members of her staff said they only learned this week their boss was expecting."

She did not look pregnant.

"Seven months into a pregnancy, and no one noticed."

"Her wardrobe still remained tight and professional." She continued to carry out her duties, run and attend a variety of events, including the National Governor's Association at the White House.


"On Friday, April 18, 2008, Sarah and her husband were in Dallas, Texas for a Republican Governor's Convention. They had been in town for three days already ... Then early Friday morning at 4:00am, Sarah began leaking amniotic fluid. Instead of checking into a hospital, she instead made a call to her doctor, and delivered the keynote speech."

Even more curious, she did not go to any medical facility but got on an airplane and flew back to Alaska, a trip of some eight hours. She failed to inform airline personnel of her condition. Alaska Airlines representative Caroline Boren said, "Governor Palin was extremely pleasant to flight attendants and her stage of pregnancy was not apparent by observation as she didn't show any signs of distress."

The plane landed in Anchorage, but the governor, instead of heading to a hospital well-equipped to deliver a premature baby, drove 45 minutes to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, "right outside the small village she used to govern as Mayor, Wasilla. Trig Palin is then delivered one month premature, Friday night. Sarah returned to work after three days."


Daily Kos suggests that it wasn't Sarah Palin who was pregnant, it was her 16-year old daughter. Reporters checking with Anchorage High School discovered that Bristol Palin was taken out of school because she contracted infectious mononucleosis. "The amount of time Bristol was absent shifts from five to eight months." That's strange. It seems to me that the high school should have very exact and detailed records as to how long Bristol was not in attendance!

Furthermore, that is an unusually long time to be out of school for mono, and mono has been frequently used by young women dealing with an unexpected and unwanted pregnancy as a means of disappearing for the necessary gestation period.


Gregg Erickson, a reporter with the Anchorage Daily News claims that "The press did a pretty good job of following up on the substitute child rumor. It proved baseless."


Maybe it is baseless. But interesting. I mean, if Bree on Desperate Housewives could pull it off, why not Palin?

Ultimately, perhaps none of this is important. I personally have no investment in the situation -- whether Trig is her child or her daughter's. And I don't care.

If the story should be true, however, what becomes significant is the deception: not just the pretense of pregnancy, but the self-righteous blathering about choosing not to abort even though the child would be born with Down Syndrome.

We do not need any more politicians whose method of operation is based upon deceiving the American public.

So, what the heck, maybe the press ought to take another look.

Read the entire story here.

Contraception as abortion

I don't know for certain whether Sarah Palin is opposed to contraceptive devices, including condoms, for married couples.

But it would not be surprising. Joe Sudbay at Americablog tells us that Roe v. Wade was based upon another case, Griswold v. Connecticut. McCain and Palin are committed to overturning Roe v. Wade. Sudbay says that "If Roe goes, Griswold is on the chopping block."

In 1965, in the great state of Connecticut, it was illegal for married couples to use contraceptives. Griswold overturned that law. 1965!!!! Did the Roman Church run Connecticut in 1965?

Certainly, as Sudbay points out, McCain and Palin should be asked the question: "Do you oppose the use of contraceptives in our country?"

It's an important question because more and more Christian right-wing extremists are defining contraception as abortion, including the theocrat, Mike Huckabee. Huckabee has said the "pill" is equivalent to abortion!

But he's one of many. Congresswoman Diana DeGette has a new book out, "Sex, Science and Stem Cells." She discusses this very issue, and when asked whether people like Rep. Chris Smith and his colleagues are desirous of banning access to contraception, DeGette said:

"There are many examples in my book where far-right members [of Congress] have tried to deny access to birth control. For many years, we gave international HIV/AIDS prevention money to religious organizations which would not provide information about condoms [or] about AIDS prevention. Rep. Smith tried to exclude certain types of birth control methods [from being] covered in federal employee insurance plans and exclude birth control pills, IUD's, the patch, and others."

DeGette goes on to suggest that many powerful politicians in and out of Congress "want to ban birth control altogether and think we should have some sort of Christian nation (according to their views) where people should be abstinent until marriage, and then only have sex for procreation."


Cristina Page raises this same issue in an article at RH Reality Check. She notes, first of all, "that between 1990 and 2004, abortion rates plummeted by 50 percent in the U.S. The researchers suggest one common-sense policy approach is most responsible: access to contraception."

She fears that in the abortion discussion in this country, the issue of reproductive rights may be shoved aside because "the issue many candidates don't want voters to think about is not abortion, but contraception..." They want to do their nasty work behind closed doors.

Page notes that "Across the U.S., anti-abortion organizations have added anti-contraception activities to their agenda ...

"North Kentucky Right to Life, for instance, will not endorse a candidate unless he or she states that the standard birth control pill is an abortion method ... Pro-Life Wisconsin asked legislators to ban emergency contraception from state university campuses and opposed efforts to provide rape victims with pregancy prevention ...

"Missouri Right to Life convinced its allies in the state Legislature to completely discontinue the state's family planning program. Georgia Right to Life organized its favorite legislators to support a bill that would reclassify all hormonal methods of birth control as abortion. ...


Has our country gone totally crazy? Who are these fruitcakes and how in hell did they get so much power?

You have to wonder about people who whine that abortion is killing babies and the most terrible sin in the world while at the same time strive to make illegal the information and the means by which to avoid unwanted pregnancies.

It's religion run amok. It's Roman Catholic and fundamentalist Christianity taken to its most extreme and its insane!

Read all of Ms. Page's article here.

Is Palin a practical joke?

Could it be that McCain is playing a practical joke on the GOP? On the country?

1. The Jed Report writes that "Del Ali, president of the nonpartisan research firm Research 2000," has written a post on Political Wire "arguing that Sarah Palin may prove to be the worst pick ever in modern presidential politics."

He may be right. Read on:

"In fact, as Palin's cultural views become better known -- she opposes abortion in all cases and opposes the use of birth control pills and condom even among married couples -- she will undoubtedly scare the hell out of the soccer moms and 98% of Hillary voters."

I can't confirm that, but click here for more.


2. According to the Associated Press, scientists are warning of a global "tipping point" currently underway. "Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is at its second lowest level in about 30 years."

Mark Serreze, senior scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado, says that we're likely to be sliding downward "in terms of passing a tipping point." NASA ice scientist, Jay Zwally warns that in "five to less than 10 years," the Arctic could be ice-free during the summer.

Sea ice is the primary habitat for threaten polar bears.

Sarah Palin argues that "Climate models that predict loss of sea ice ... are unreliable." Sure they are. And Palin, the consumate scientist, would know that!

But then, she doesn't care much for polar bears anyway.


3. In her acceptance speech as McCain's running mate, Ms. Palin noted her opposition to the multi-million dollar bridge from Ketchikan to Gravina, the so-called "bridge to nowhere." Actually, that wasn't quite true.

When she campaigned in Ketchikan in 2006, she promised Ketchikan residents she would deliver on the bridge.

On October 22, 2006, during her race for governor, she responded to a question by the Anchorage Daily as to whether she would continue state funding for the Knik Arm and Gravina Island bridges this way: "Yes, I would like to see Alaska's infrastructure projects built sooner rather than later. The window is now--while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."

When the bridge became a national joke, her support evaporated, but she kept the money by directing it back into the state's general fund.

A couple of days ago, Alaska's second-largest newspaper, posted an editorial on its website which stated flat out that Palin was not qualified for the office of vice president, and referenced her claimed opposition to the "bridge to nowhere," but also said she kept the money - in other words, the bridge wasn't built but Alaska still got the pork from Washington.

Already we see that Ms. Palin is somewhat challenged by the truth.


4. I love this one from Crooks and Liars. August 10, Karl Rove went on Face the Nation to argue that Barack Obama should not pick Virginia governor Tim Kaine because he's only been a governor for three years. He was merely mayor of the 105th largest city in America, Richmond, Virginia. "So, if he were to pick Governor Kaine, it would be an intensely political choice where he said, 'You know what? I'm really not, first and foremost, concerned with, is this person capable of being president of the United States.'"

So what is Rove saying now about McCain's choice of a "hockey mom" for his vice presidential running mate?


5. This from Americablog. McCain is really impressed by Palin's taking on special interests when she ran for the PTA. This from People magazine:

People: "Sen. McCain, of all the candidates you considered, what drew you to her?"

McCain: "Obviously, I found her to be very intelligent and very well-versed on the issues. But I think the important thing was that she's a reformer. She's taken on special interests since she ran for the PTA and the city council and mayor. The courage, I guess, is what most impressed me."

Right. It takes a hell of a lot of courage to run against other PTA hockey moms!


6. TPM raises another curious issue. "After the allegedly improper firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan ... Palin appointed former Kenai Police Chief Chuck Kopp to the post.

"Kopp served just two weeks this summer as the head of law enforcement in Alaska, resigning on July 25, after a past complaint of sexual harrassment and a subsequent letter of reprimand surfaced in news reports.

"But Palin made sure he had a soft fall from grace, giving him a $10,000 severance package for just two weeks served.

"While Palin has conceded she was aware of the past complaint against Kopp, she claims that she thought the complaint had been unsubstantiated and was unaware of the letter of reprimand."

All of which might make one question her credentials as an administrator. Would she not thoroughly vet her appointee?


7. TPM Muckraker wonders if Palin's earnest desire to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) will affect McCain's opposition to such drilling. Back in June, Palin told CNBC "that McCain was likely to 'evolve' into supporting drilling.

"Earlier this week, McCain told the Standard that he's considering flip-flopping on his anti-drilling stance, and that he plans to talk to Palin about the issue."

TPM Muckraker then quotes "The Institute for Energy Research, an industry-backed group," which "sent out the following message to reporters: 'FYI: John McCain's selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate naturally places ANWR energy production front and center in the policy debate once again..."


7. The New Yorker magazine has an especially interesting piece. "Before she was running against him, Sarah Palin--the governor of Alaska and now the Republican candidate for Vice-President of the United States--thought it was pretty neat that Barack Obama was edging ahead of John McCain in her usually solid red state. After all, she said, Obama's campaign was using the same sort of language that she had in her gubernatorial race. 'The theme of our campaign was "new energy,' she said recently. 'It was no more status quo, no more politics as usual, it was all about change. So then to see Obama--literally, part of his campaign uses those themes ...

"She also noted, 'Somethings kind of changing here in Alaska, too, for being such a red state on the Presidential level. Obama's doing just fine in the polls up here, which is kind of wigging people out, because they're saying, 'This hasn't happened for decades that in polls the D' -- the Democratic candidate - 'is doing just fine. To me, that's indicative, too. It's the no-more-status-quo, it's change.'"

There's much more and you can access The New Yorker here.


8. Sarah doesn't know what a vice president does, but occasionally a vice president is involved in foreign affairs -- meeting and greasing the palms of important foreign poohbahs. But Palin's experience in foreign affairs is almost nil. In fact, he knowledge of the United States is about nil.

When she and McCain stopped at Tom's Diner in Pittsburgh the other day, Palin told reporters she was having a lot of fun. She said, "It's great to see another part of the country."


Maybe Palin is McCain's practical joke on the GOP -- especially Romney and Pawlenty -- and the country. Maybe he'll soon tell us that he didn't really mean for Palin to be his VP mate, and she'll withdraw and then he'll announce his "real" candidate.

Maybe.

McCain's "freudian" slip

Things are changing. Now it appears neither Bush nor Cheney will put in an appearance at the Repug Convention.

The Repugs are trying to figure out what to do. Bush, Cheney and Schwarzenegger were all supposed to speak tomorrow. Charlie Crist of Florida is also not coming and he, too, was slated to speak.

Bush isn't going to Louisiana at this time as he fears his being there might negatively impact emergency operations. He might also get hung from the nearest tree by those who are still suffering from Katrina! "I'll get to Louisiana as soon as conditions permit," he said.

That might be never. He might have another fundraiser to attend or a birthday celebration to partake of. It's interesting that both McCain and Obama made it to the Gulf Coast, in spite of "emergency operations."

The Repugs are still struggling to figure out how they can be of assistance to those affected by the storm. Obama, meanwhile, has "offered to tap his sprawling network of donors and volunteers to help any victims of Gustav."

"I think we can get tons of volunteers to travel down there if it become necessary," said Obama. "I think we can activate an e-mail list of a couple of million people who want to give back."

What should we do, wondered the Repugs.

McCain however, stepped into "it" once again. "I pledge that tomorrow night, and if necessary throughout our convention, we will act as Americans and not as Republicans because America needs us now."

In other words, Repugnicans don't normally act like Americans. But, in this case, they'll try!

Sheesh!

Gustav & the Repugnican Convention

There's good news and bad news.

The bad news, of course, is that Hurricane Gustav has already killed too many people, torn up too many towns and devastated too many dreams. Even worse, Gustav is not done yet. As he heads toward the Gulf Coast, people are literally fleeing for their lives, many of them on buses to nowhere - they don't know where they are going or what they will find when they get there. Some are not planning to return to New Orleans no matter what. They've had it.

It's a scenario from hell. Weather and other pundits are calling it a "monster storm," the "storm of the century." That may be hyperbole, but if not, the storm could make Katrina look like a bad rain. Nothing could be worse for those who have carefully crafted a place for themselves along our nation's Gulf Coast.

Fortunately, this time our leaders appear to be trying. Whether what they do is effective remains to be seen. Not many are convinced of either their sincerity or their abililty.


The good news is that Gustav has already disrupted the meeting of Repugnicans scheduled to begin in St. Paul, Minnesota tomorrow. According to news reports, George Bush and Dick Cheney will not be in attendance. [Arnold Schwarzenegger won't be there, either, but I don't think anyone really cares]

What Bush and Cheney are doing is anyone's guess. They are said to be "focusing on Hurricane Gustav." With their record, that is not necessarily a good thing.

John McCain is off to the Gulf Coast with Cindy and Ms. Palin. I suppose they plan to be a force for good or a "sight for sore eyes," or perhaps a gleaning of hope? I don't know what else they could do. Ol' John, of course, needs to redeem himself as when Katrina hit, he and Bush were eating birthday cake on the tarmac of Luke AFB in Arizona!


One wonders why the Repugs don't continue with their convention as usual, as it is unlikely the delegates will be able to do anything of significance to assist those fleeing the coming catastrophe. Actually, they're more concerned about their image than anything. As McCain said, "It just wouldn't be appropriate to have a festive occasion while a near tragedy or a terrible challenge is presented in the form of a natural disaster."

One could always argue, of course, that the Repugnican Convention is a disaster in and of itself. The Party Platform was written by the radical right and the religious freaks and puts the Republicans on the fringe of our political life, out of touch with the majority of people, and shows Republicans to be a immoderately concerned to control your life and mine by imposing their extremist views as the "morality" of the nation.


It looks like there's been an update. Cheney is now planning to speak to the convention on Monday, as is Laura Bush. For Cheney to speak is especially appropriate, as he represents the absolute low in Republican politics and has been a true tragedy, an unmitigated disaster so far as the well-being of this country is concerned. Who the hell needs him in the Gulf Coast anyway?

Some of the governors in states potentially affected by Gustav may stay home in order to deal with the impending crisis, including Jindal of Louisiana, Crist of Florida, and Rick Perry of Texas. What a trio that is! Three extremist Christian rightwingers who agree on abolishing women's right to choose, teaching the crap of Creationism in our public schools, vouchers to use taxpayer money for private, religious schools, denying gays the same rights the rest of us enjoy ...

They won't be missed, though, as it appears most Repugs agree with them. They represent the heart and the worst of Republicanism in 2008.


One final, funny note. Cindy McCain, noted for her intellectual achievements and brilliant analysis of international problems, said that Sarah Palin is ready to be president because "She is heavily experienced in what she has done."

Yikes!

The reason she would be effective in terms of national security, says Cindy, is that she's the governor of Alaska and Alaska is close to Russia. "And," Cindy continues, "she has a very serious direction in where she goes."

Yikes again!

Let's not leave out another partisan poohbah, Tim Pawlenty, the ultra Christian governor of Minnesota who does nothing without his Jesus. Pawlenty thinks that Palin would be an effective leader in terms of national security because "Palin is commander in chief of the Alaskan National Guard."

Oh, stop laughing. He actually said that!


Let us pray!